Means and method for feeding and stacking envelopes



A. NQVICK Feb. 25, 1941.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FEEDING AND STACKING' ENVELOPES Filed Nov. 22, 1958 6 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Afiraham /v0 v/c/r.

ATTORNEYS A. NOVICK Feb. 25, 1941.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FEEDING AND STACKING ENVELOPES Filed Nov. 22, 19158 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Abra/2am Nowc/r. BY V m AT TORNEYS A. NOVICK Feb. 25, 1941.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FEEDING AND STACKING ENVELOFES Filed Nov. 22, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVE NTOR. Abraham A/o wc/r. BY m Q @rii ATTORNEYS Feb. 25, 1941. A, NQVICK 2,232,721

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FEEDING AND STACKING ENVELOPES Filed Nov. 22, 19358 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR. 35 E 6/ Abraham Nov/ck.

ATTORNEYS Feb. 25,- 1941. ANovlcK 2,232,721

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FEEDING AND STACKING ENVELOPES Filed Nov. 22, 1938 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTORQ Abra/mm Nor/ck.

ATTORNEYS A. NOVICK Feb. 25, 1941.

MEANS AND METHOD FOR FEEDING AND STACKING ENVELOPES 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed Nov. 22, 1938 INVENTOR. Aha/2am N0 v/c/r. BY W 8 Qaz/ ATTORNEYS Patented F eb. 25, 1941 PATENT OFFICE MEANS AND DIETHOD FOR FEEDING AND STACKING ENVELOPES Abraham Novick, Flushing, N. Y., assignor to F. L. Smithe Machine Co. Inc., New York, N. Y., a. corporation of New York Application November 22, 1938, Serial No. 241,719

9 Claims.

This invention relates to envelope conveying and stacking and more particularly to the delivery of finished envelopes from a drying conveyor of the articulated compartment type, and the stacking of the envelopes in an orderly fashion while maintaining them under positive control at all times throughout the delivering and stacking operations. The invention is not, however, limited to envelope making machines nor to the handling of envelopes, but may be utilized in connection with a variety ofplaniform articles.

It is an object of the invention to provide, in combination with a drying conveyor of the articulated compartment type, gripper mechanism timed in its operation with the operation of the conveyor to seize the marginal portion of each envelope as it reaches. the delivery point and draw it positively downward into position to be applied to an accumulating stack.

It is a further object of the invention to additionally provide means for pressing each envelope, substantially at the end of its downward travel, toward the stack to add it to the stack.

It is a further object to additionally provide a stationary detent for engaging the outer face of the lower margin of the last envelope added to the stack, together with an oscillating retaining and pushing member cooperative with the upper edge of an envelope and with the upper outer marginal face thereof, first to assure that the envelope is thrust downward into position to be engaged by the lower detent, and then to remain in holding relation to the upper marginal part of the envelope while the pusher which adds the envelopes one by one to the stack is retracted, and while the following envelope is being pulled downward by the grippers and then pushed toward the stack.

A further object of the invention is to provide improved mechanism for counting the envelopes as they are delivered and for causing the delivcred envelopes to be divided into groups of predetermined numbers by the regular displacement of one or more envelopes each time a predetermined number has been added to the stack.

Other objects and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, and illustrating certain practical and advantageous embodiments of the invention:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary view, in sectional side elevation, illustrating a portion of the drying conveyor and the delivery mechanism associated therewith, the section being taken substantially on the line l| of Fig. 3, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary, sectional, plan view, taken substantially on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows; 5

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary, transverse, vertical sectional view, taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are successive, detail, operating views, illustrating three different stages in the 10 operation of the delivery mechanism, Fig. 6 being somewhat more complete in its showing of the mechanism than Figs. 4 and 5;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, detail view in sectional side elevation, illustrating the final step of add- 15 ing a blank to the stack;

' Fig. 8 is a fragmentary, detail view, in side elevation, illustrating particularly certain features of the counter mechanism;

Fig. 9 is a fragmentary, plan view, illustrating 20 particularly certain features of the mechanism for jogging envelopes out of line to divide the stacked envelopes into groups each containing a predetermined number of envelopes, and

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary, detail, transverse vertical, sectional view, illustrating a modified form of feeler mechanism for controlling the counter.

The illustrative envelope machine may be in general of the same type as the machine disclosed in my pending application Serial No. 126,535, filed February 19, 1937, for Delivery mechanism. The present invention is in the nature of an improvement upon the invention disclosed and claimed in said application.

The machine comprises mechanism (not shown) for gumming and folding envelope blanks and for delivering them to a drying conveyor I. Each blank passes downward across a roller 2, Fig. 1, in entering the conveyor, and is deposited with its upper edge downward upon a pair of supporting rods 3, see Fig. 3 also. The sealing flap 4 of each envelope extends upward and forward from the rods 3 while the envelope body 5 extends upward and rearward when first deposited, on the rods. The conveyor includes a pair of chains 6 and 'l, and a multiplicity of partition members 8. Each partition member is rigidly connected to a pair of corresponding links of the two chains 6 and 1, so that it moves in unison with its supporting links, participating both in the bodily movements of the links and in the angular movements of the links around the end sprockets of the conveyor. Conveyor chains run at one end upon small end sprockets 9 at the point at which the envelopes are introduced into the conveyor, and at the opposite end upon relatively large sprockets (not shown). The conveyor chains are driven from a chain II], by means of a sprocket H, which is fast upon the shaft ll! of the sprocket 9.

lhe wires 3 extend parallel to the upper run of the chains, and are continued around to the lower side of the large sprocket. Rods l3 extend around the large sprocket and thence parallel to the lower run of the chain. The inner and outer rods 3 and I3 cooperate in guiding the envelopes around the large sprocket, while the rods l3 alone serve to support the envelopes on edge, after they have passed the large sprocket on their way to the delivery point.

Provision is made of mechanism for seizing each blank as it arrives at the delivery point and for transferring it to an accumulating stack of blanks [4 upon a table 15.

The transfer mechanism is controlled and operated from a constantly rotating shaft 16 suitably mounted upon the machine frame I7, and driven by a sprocket and chain Ba connected to a suitable source of power. The operating mechnism also includes a constantly rotating shaft i8 suitable mounted in bearing standards [9 independently of the rotation of the shaft 15. The shafts l3 and G8 are connected together for rotation in unison through a chain 28 and through sprockets 2i and 2?. fast on the respective shafts.

A frame 23 is mounted upon the shaft IS with freedom to rock to and fro. The frame 23 comprises a pair of upturned arms 24, which terminate at their upper ends in gripper jaws 25. Cooperating gripper jaws 26 are pivotally mounted at 21 upon the respective arms 24. Mechanism is provided for causing the jaws 26 to close upon the jaws 25 in an upper position, then to move down in unison with the jaws 25, then to be opened near the limit of downward travel, and then to be returned with the jaws 25 to the upper or receiving position in an open condition.

The movements of the jaws 25 are controlled by a crank 28, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, fast upon the shaft l8 and a connecting rod 29, which extends upward between the arms 24 and which is connected to both of the arms by means of a pivot pin 30. Rotation of the crank 28 with the shaft l8 causes frame 23 to be oscillated.

The frame 23 includes a short arm 3|, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, which, together with the arms 24, supports a rock shaft 32. A crank arm 33 fast on the rock shaft 32 carries a roller 34 which serves as a cam follower for cooperating with a cam 35 fast on the shaft I3. A spring 36 connected at one end of the crank arm 33 and at the opposite end to a pin 31, fixed to the frame 23, serves to maintain the follower 34 always in cooperative engagement with the cam 35. The shaft 32 also has fast upon it a pair of cranks 38, each of which is connected through a link 39 with one of the movable gripper jaws 25.

The parts are so organized and timed, and the cam 35 is of such configuration, that the follower 34 rides off a shouldered portion 40 of the cam while the jaws 25 and 26 are in the upper position as illustrated in Fig. 1. This causes the rockable jaws 26 to close upon the jaws 25 as shown in Fig. 4, and to seize the lower margin of the envelope which is in position to be delivered from the rods IS. The follower 34, after falling off the shoulder 40, moves close to an arcuate peripheral portion of the cam 35, which is concentric with the shaft it, so that as the frame 23 is swung downward the jaws 25 and 23. move downward in unison to a position like that illustrated in Fig. 5. The follower does not touch the arcuate peripheral portion of the cam 35 this insuring firm gripping of the envelope by the jaws 25 and 26. At the point in Fig. 6 the follower 34 has reached a position where the radius of the cam begins to increase so that the jaws are opened to release the envelope to other instrumentalities to be described.

When the crank 28 and connecting rod 29 have crossed bottom dead center, Fig. 6, the frame 23 is again swung upward to its original position of Fig. 1. During this movement the follower 34 rides upon a concentric peripheral surface of the cam 35 so that the jaws 25 and 26 are maintained in fully open position against the action of spring 36.

Additional mechanism is provided for preventing the envelope flap from catching upon the upper edge of the stack as the envelope is drawn downward by the grippers and for causing the envelope delivered by the grippers to be properly and positively added to the stack. Stationary guide fingers 4! are mounted directly in the path of the envelopes carried by the lower strength of the articulated compartment conveyor l, but are located laterally of the machine to escape interference with the partition members 8. The fingers ii extend downward to a point closely adjacent to the upper trailing edge of the stack Hi.

In addition to the fingers 4i, another finger 42 is provided to extend at times across the upper trailing edge of the stack and in intersecting relation to the fingers 4!. The finger 42 is yieldingly carried by an arm 43 fixed to a rock shaft 44, the rocks shaft 44 being journalled in adjustable slides 45. The slides 45 are formed with slots 46 through which clamping bolts 41 are threaded into the machine frame. The adjustability of the slides 45 enables the finger 42 to be adjustable vertically, and hence to perform its proper function in conjunction with stacks of different sized envelopes. The shaft 44 is rocked in properly timed relation to the action of the grippers 25, 26 and the other parts of the machine to cause the finger 42 to stand across the upper trailing edge of the stack as an envelope is drawn downward, but to be retracted upward out of the way as the envelope is subsequently thrust toward the stack after being released by the grippers.

The rock shaft 44 is controlled from a cam 48, Figs. 1, 2 and 3, fast on the shaft H3. The cam acts upon a follower roller 49 carried by an arm 50, pivoted on a stud 5!. A second crank 52 which is also pivoted on the stud 5!, and which is fast (desirably integral) with the crank to form a bell crank lever, is connected at its upper end through a link 53 with a crank 54 fast on the shaft 44. A spring 55 connected to the arm 50 and to the machine frame maintains the follower 49 always in proper cooperative engagement with the cam 48.

The rock shaft 44 also has fast upon it a pair of hook-like fingers 56 which perform a plurality of important functions in the operation of adding envelopes to the stack I4. Each finger 56 comprises a body portion 56a and a downturned end portion 56b. The purposes and functions of the fingers 56 can be brought out more clearly, as the mechanism for thrusting a released blank into the stack is described.

Each envelope is carried down to the grippers between the stack and swinging arms 51, Figs. 1, 2 and 3. The blank is released by the grippers of the machine frame H.

to prevent such advance.

25, 26 in position to rest upon a pair of detent plates 58 which are fixed on the upper face of the table I5. As the grippers move downward, the arm 51 is swung clockwise (as viewed in Fig. 1) and after the grippers have released the envelope and have moved clear of it, the arm 51, by its continued clockwise movement, pushes the blank past the right hand ends of the plates 58, Fig. 6, so that the lower edge of the envelope is in position to be caught and detained against retrograde movement by the right hand end:

faces of the plates 58, and the upper margin of the added envelope is in position to be covered and held by the downturned ends 5812 of the fingers 56. While the envelope is held in this position, Fig. 6, by the arm 51, the fingers 56 move downward, as in Fig. 7. In this movement the body portions 58a of the fingers 58 engage the upper edge of the envelope which has just been added and press it downward, thereby assuring that the lower edge of the envelope will be pressed directly against the table l5, and that the lower margin of the envelope will be in a position to be detained by the right hand ends of the plates 58. When the fingers 56 have reached their lowermost position, as seen in Fig. '7, the arms 51 move counterclockwise to the position of Fig. 1.

The fingers 55 remain in the position illustrated in Fig. 1, until the grippers have moved upward, seized another blank and pulled it down substantially to the table. The fingers 58 and the finger 42 move out of the way in time to avoid interference with the movement of the envelope toward the stack by the arms 51.

The arms 51 are actuated from the shaft I8. A link 59 eccentrically connected to the shaft I8 is connected to a crank 60 fast on a rock shaft 6 I The arms 51 are carried by the shaft 6| and are fast upon the shaft.

The envelopes which are stacked on the table I5 are delivered against an adjustable side guide 62 and are supported in stack formation by a slidable stop 53,

Provision is made for regularly producing an irregularity of the stack each time that a predetermined number of envelopes has been added to the stack. This mechanism comprises counter mechanism controlled by a feeler and means controlled by the counter mechanism for displacing a blank or blanks of the stack each time a predetermined number of envelopes has been added.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9, the feeler mechanism comprises a finger 64, fast on a rock shaft 55 which is journalled in a sleeve 65a: extending inwardly from one side The rock shaft 65 also has fast upon it an arm 66, which is pivotally connected at its end remote from the shaft 65, to a sliding shield 81. The shield 61 rides upon the crest of a ratchet wheel 68, which wheel constitutes the counter. The wheel 68 is actuated step by step by means of a pawl 69 pivoted on a rocking arm 19, the rocking arm being journalled upon a stud 1| on the machine frame. The arm is pivotally connected to an actuating link 12 which link is eccentrically connected to the shaft Hi. The pawl 69 is oscillated once, and through a distance corresponding substantially to one tooth space of the wheel 88, at each complete revolution of the shaft I6, but whether or not the pawl will advance the wheel 68 depends upon whether the shield 61 is in position to permit or The pawl 69 is urged in a direction to cause its tooth to engage the ratchet wheel by a spring 13 which is connected .of the counter.

to a pin 14 on the tail of the pawl and to a stationary pin on the lever 19.

When a blank is present, as illustrated in Fig. 1, the feeler finger 64 is forced downward by the blank, to the position of Fig. 1, in which position the pawl is permitted to engage the ratchet wheel sufficiently early to effect a tooth space advance of the wheel. Upon movement of the envelope, which may otherwise be produced by the feeler finger 64, is prevented by guide rods 64a, Fig. 3. When no blank is present for delivery, however, the feeler finger is carried upward to a position like that illustrated in Fig. 8, by means of a spring 16 which is connected to a pin 11 fast with the rock shaft 65, and to a stationary pin 18. This causes the shield 61 to be projected toward the right, to a position like that shown in Fig. 8, where the arm isarrested by a stop 66a, so that the pawl 69 cannot engage the ratchet wheel sufficiently early in its advance to cause any advance of the ratchet wheel.

The ratchet wheel 68 and arm 19 are secured to one another and are loosely mounted on the shaft 1 I. The arm 19 is, therefore, caused to rotate with the ratchet wheel. Once in each revolution the arm 19 engages a cam face 89 formed on a rocking lever 8|. The lever BI is pivoted at 82 upon the frame of the machine. During a single. tooth-space advance of the ratchet wheel, the arm 19 cams lever 8| aside, see Fig. 9, past the lever and permits the lever to be returned to its original position by means of a spring 83 which is connected to the tail of the lever and to the machine frame. The tail of the lever 8| is connected through a link 84 with the tail of a lever 85. i

The lever 85 is pivoted at 86 upon the machine frame, and is pivotally connected at its forward end to an envelope pushing slide 81. The slide 81 is guided through a bracket 88 mounted on the table 5, andextends normally to a position sub stantially flush with the right hand boundary of the stack M as Viewed in Fig. 9. The slide 81 has an angular end portion 89 which is projected toward the left to a position like that illustrated in Fig. 9 when the arm 19 applies its camming action to the lever 8|. This is eifective, as seen in Fig. 9, to thrust the last two envelopes of the stack toward the left and out of alignment with the other envelopes. The envelopes are thus conveniently divided into groups of predetermined number. It is to be observed that although the actuation of the ratchet wheel 68, which is the counter, depends upon the presence of a blank, the actuating force for the counter is supplied from the same power source which operates the other parts of the machine.

In Fig. 10 another embodiment of feeler mechanism is illustrated for controlling the operation The mechanism of Fig. 10 is, in all respects, the same as that of Figs. 1 to 9, with the exception that the feeler arm is mounted and actuated somewhat differently from the feeler arm 64 'so as to give a more positive action.

It is not thought necessary to repeat the description of parts which will be well understood from the preceding description, and hence corresponding reference numerals have been applied to Fig. 10 with the subscript a added.

In the embodiment of Fig. 10, a feeler arm 99 is mounted fast on a rockshaft 65a. The feeler arm extends from the side into the path of the envelopes carried by the lower stretch of the conveyor in position to intercept each envelope as it reaches the delivery point. The arm 99 has a vertically extending, envelope engaging end portion 9|, disposed closely adjacent to the path of the partition members 8, but just to one side of that path. The shaft 65a is connected in the same manner as the shaft 65, to control counter mechanism of the same kind which is controlled by the shaft 65. It will be seen that the feeler 90 will normally be urged toward the oncoming envelopes, and that it will not be displaced in the direction of envelope travel when no envelope is present in a compartment of the conveyor I arriving at the delivery point. Under such condi tions, the counter will be shielded and no counting operating will occur. When a blank does arrive at the delivery point, however, the feeler 90 will be rocked in a direction to withdraw the shield so that a counting operation will occur.

I have described what I believe to be the best embodiments of my invention. I do not wish, however, to be confined to the embodiments shown, but what I desire to cover by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an envelope making machine, the combination with an articulated compartment conveyor, of mechanism for removing envelopes from the conveyor and stacking them as they arrive at a delivery point, comprising a stack table, an envelope pushing member movable toward and from a stack on the table to add the envelopes singly to the stack, gripper means for withdrawing each envelope singly out of the path of the conveyor, transferring it between the pushing member and the stack and into juxtaposed relation to the stack and then releasing it, and means for thereafter operating the pushing member toward the stack to add the transferred envelope to the stack, and detent means on the table for detaining the lower margin of the last added envelope as the pushing member retreats to prevent disorganization of the stack, a jogging and detaining member cooperative with the upper edge and margin of the last added envelope, and means for operating the jogging and detaining member in timed relation to the gripper means and the pushing member to jog the last added envelope down behind the detent means before the pushing member retreats and to cover and detain the upper margin of the envelope while the pushing member is retracted.

2. In an envelope making machine, the combination with an articulated compartment conveyor, of mechanism for removing the envelopes from the conveyor and stacking them as they arrive at a delivery point, comprising a stack table, an envelope pushing member movable toward and from a stack on the table to add the envelopes singly to the stack, gripper means for withdrawing each envelope singly out of the path of the conveyor, transferring it between the pushing member and the stack and into juxtaposed relation to the stack and then releasing it, and means for thereafter operating the pushing member toward the stack to add the transferred envelope to the stack, and means for guiding the envelope flap during transfer of the envelope by the gripper means, comprising a stationary guide, a stack edge guard, and means for operating the stack edge guard to and from guarding position in timed relation to the operations of the gripper means and the pushing member.

3. In an envelope making machine, the combination with an articulated compartment conveyor, of mechanism for removing envelopes from the conveyor and stacking them as they arrive at a delivery point, comprising a stack table, an envelope pushing member movable toward and from a stack on the table to add the envelopes singly to the stack, gripper means for withdrawing each envelope singly out of the path of the conveyor, transferring it between the pushing member and the stack and into juxtaposed relation to the stack and then releasing it, and means for thereafter operating the pushing member toward the stack to add the transferred envelope to the stack, and detent means on the table for detaining the lower margin of the last added envelope as the pushing member retreats to prevent disorganization of the stack, a jogging and detaining member cooperative with the upper edge and margin of the last added envelope, and means for operating the jogging and detaining member in timed relation to the gripper means and the pushing member to jog the last added envelope down behind the detent means before the pushing member retreats and to cover and detain the upper margin of the envelope while the pushing member is retracted, and means for guiding the envelope flap during transfer of the envelope by the gripper means comprising a stationary guide and a stack edge guard, said guard being mounted to operate in unison with the jogging and detaining member.

4. In an envelope making machine, the combination with an articulated compartment conveyor, of mechanism for removing envelopes from the conveyor and stacking them as they arrive at a delivery point, comprising a stack table, an envelope pushing member movable toward and from a stack on the table to add the envelopes singly to the stack, gripper means for withdrawing each envelope singly out of the path of the conveyor, transferring it between the pushing member and the stack and into juxtaposed relation to the stack and then releasing it, and means for thereafter operating the pushing member toward the stack to add the transferred envelope to the stack, and detent means on the table for detaining the lower margin of the last added envelope as the pushing member retreats to prevent disorganization of the stack, a jogging and detaining member cooperative with the upper edge and margin of the last added envelope, and means for operating the jogging and detaining member in timed relation to the gripper means and the pushing member to jog the last added envelope down behind the detent means before the pushing member retreats and to cover and detain the upper margin of the envelope while the pushing member is retracted, and means for adjustably mounting the jogging and detaining member to cooperate with stacks composed of different sized envelopes.

5. In an envelope making machine, the combination with an articulated compartment conveyor, of mechanism for removing the envelopes from the conveyor and stacking them as they arrive at a delivery point, comprising a stack table, an envelope pushing member movable toward and from a stack on the table to add the envelopes singly to the stack, gripper means for withdrawing each envelope singly out of the path of the conveyor, transferring it between the pushing member and the stack and into juxtaposed relation to the stack and then releasing it, and means for thereafter operating the pushing member toward the stack to add the transferred envelope to the stack, and means for guiding the envelope flap during transfer of the envelope by the gripper means, comprising a stationary guide,

a stack edge guard, and means for operating the stack edge guard to and from guarding position in timed relation to the operations of the gripper means and the pushing member, and means for adjustably mounting the stack edge guard to cooperate with stacks composed of different sized envelopes.

6. The method of conveying and stacking envelopes which comprises advancing each envelope to a delivery point on edge in a path transverse to the body planes of the envelopes, seizing each envelope by its lower edge and pulling it edgewise clear of said path in a direction transverse to the path, then pushing the envelope bodily in a direction transverse to the plane of the envelope body to add it to a stack, and finally detaining the added envelope against retrograde movement.

7. In an envelope making machine comprising an articulated compartment conveyor for advancing envelopes on edge in columnar formation, and a stacking means comprising a stack table disposed below the conveyor adjacent the delivery end of the lower stretch thereof, the improvement which comprises the provision of gripper means movable transversely of the conveyor path for seizing each envelope singly by its lower margin and pulling it edgewise in a downward direction out of the path of the conveyor and into juxtaposed relation to a stack 0n the table.

8. In an envelope machine as set forth in claim 7, the further improvement which comprises the provision of envelope pushing means for adding to the stack on the table each envelope pulled down by the gripper means, said pushing means and gripper means operating in paths which are substantially at right-angles to one another but which are non-intersecting.

9. In an envelope making machine comprising an articulated compartment conveyor for advancing envelopes on edge in columnar formation, and a stacking means comprising a stack table disposed below the conveyor adjacent the delivery end of the lower stretch thereof, the improvement which comprises the provision of gripper means movable transversely of the conveyor path for seizing each envelope singly by its lower margin and pulling it edgewise in a downward direction out of the path of the conveyor and into juxtaposed relation to a stack on the table, and means for opening the gripper means substantially as the lower edge of a gripped envelope reaches the plane of the table, and for closing the gripper means upon the lower margin of a conveyor carried envelope.

ABRAHAM NOVICK. 

